Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of mercuric chloride-induced acute tubular necrosis in rat kidney.

Scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy were used to elucidate morphological changes associated with acute tubular necrosis induced by high doses of mercuric chloride. Marked morphological changes were demonstrated in proximal tubules with TEM at one hour and with both SEM and TEM at six hours. These changes appeared earlier than reported in previous studies using any dose. The scanning microscopic provided a three-dimensional view of proximal cells showing changes in early injury with subsequent separation of the injured cells from the remaining cells. Certain of these residual cells change into low-lying cells with reline the proximal tubule. Variability was seen in the number of residual cells. However, once cell injury was initiated, necrosis proceeded in a reproducible manner.